Property deals in Okhla eco sensitive zone not final: NGT

The National Green Tribunal directed Noida Authority to publicly announce that any property deal in its area will be subject to the final outcome of judicial proceedings on the issue of environment ministry's demarcation of eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around the Okhla bird sanctuary .PTI | November 10, 2015, 08:40 IST

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal directed Noida Authority to publicly announce that any property deal in its area will be subject to the final outcome of judicial proceedings on the issue of environment ministry's demarcation of eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around the Okhla bird sanctuary .

“You issue notice for the general public as many people may have indulged in property or land deals in the area. The notice should specifically state that the matter is sub-judice before the tribunal and any deals made will be subject to the outcome of the proceedings,“ a bench headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar said.

The bench's direction came on a plea filed by one Anand Arya who submitted that largescale land and property deals were taking place in the Okhla area bordering Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

The panel posted the matter for further hearing on December 3 and asked the Noida authority , ministry of environment and forests, Delhi and UP governments to file their reply on the plea.

The tribunal had on October 8 issued notice to NOIDA authority and the Centre on Arya's plea challenging the August 19 notification on ESZ.

The notification had declared the ESZ in the sanctuary will be the area up to 100m from the eastern, western and southern boundaries and up to 1.27km from the northern boundary of the sanctuary , which extends up to DND flyover across the riverbed situated in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar and southeast district of NCT Delhi.